Israeli bulldozers destroyed six buildings in contested East Jerusalem
on Tuesday, resuming the demolition of Palestinian
property after a halt aimed at encouraging peace talks. Palestinians
said at least three structures were homes, but Israel
disputed that, saying that all six had been built illegally and that no
one was living in them. House demolitions are a volatile issue because
Israel sees East Jerusalem as part of its capital city, while
Palestinians want it for their future capital. No houses had been razed
in the eastern sector since last October, and the demolitions seemed to
indicate a shift from the unofficial freeze that Israel imposed on them
after much criticism from the Obama administration.
